


Call the Marker

by moosesal



Category: John Wick (Movies), The Young Pope (TV)
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 04:00:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13115574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moosesal/pseuds/moosesal
Summary: John Wick didn't go to Rome to kill the Pope. But could his old friend Lenny Beraldo offer him sanctuary?





	Call the Marker

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Petronia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petronia/gifts).



_Then:_

John: Ciao.

Julius: Nice to see you… I fail to recall the last time you were in Rome. And here I’d heard you had retired.

John: I had.

Julius: Then humor me with but one question… Are you here for the Pope?

John: No.

 

 

_Now._

_Vatican City._

He read the message Andrew had forwarded to him:

 _John Wick  
1 hour  
_ _Excommunicado_

 _Oh Johnny, what have you done and what must I do?_ he thought with a sigh before replying.

_Do what you have to do. Just bring him to me._

SEND.

He slipped his phone back into the folds of his robes and turned to Sister Mary. “Let’s hope Andrew’s connections are still what they used to be.”

*****

 _New York._ _5 th Avenue and East 53rd Street._

John rounded the corner and there it was. Two blocks ahead. St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He wasted no time checking his watch, knowing his time was up. Had been up. Even before the hour began. He ran, his dog at his side, right into a brick wall of a man in black.

He started to move around the man, apologizing, eyes fixed on the possibility of sanctuary ahead of him. “Mr. Wick,” the man said.

He looked up and saw the collar, the cross, and the emotionless face that could only belong to a priest. “If you’ll come with me, sir. There’s someone who would like to see you.” But he was built like a heavyweight champ and John wasn’t taking his chances.

He looked to his left—the sidewalk was covered with people, this was not the place to fight. To his right was the street; a black car with tinted windows idled at the curb. His heart and mind were racing. He looked ahead to the cathedral steps and everyone in his way. How many of these people were prepared to kill him? How many were holding back so they wouldn’t shoot the supposed priest in front of John? What if this priest was another hit man with a clever disguise?

“Cardinal Dussolier sent me.”

John looked in his eyes, searching. “Andrew.”

“Yes. The Holy Father… Lenny? I think you call him… is very concerned about you.”

Calm came over John.

 _Lenny? No,_ he thought. _More likely Sister Mary. And Andrew he could believe. But not Lenny. Not Mr. Holier-than-thou._

But Sister Mary was the reason he’d thought to seek sanctuary from the Church. John nodded and the man directed him to the car he hadn’t considered would take him to safety.

*****

A chorus of “Your holiness” and “Holy Father” greeted him as he entered the breakfast room. His can of Cherry Coke Zero sat next to a tall glass of ice while Sister Mary ate a bowl of some disgusting goop he hoped was oatmeal.

“Is he here?”

Sister Mary looked up and gave a slight nod of her head. “He is.” She continued eating.

“And?”

“And what? He’s sleeping. A bit battered. But alive. Safe. For now.”

“What shall we do with him?”

She smiled and shook her head just the tiniest bit. “You’re the pope.”

“I am. But he wasn’t part of my plan.”

*****

John woke with a start. He glanced around him, trying to get his bearings. The crucifix above his bed should have been his first clue. _Lenny sent for me._ He sighed then sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

“Good, you’re awake.”

John startled and turned to find Andrew in the corner of the room, slouched against the wall.

“Shower and get dressed. His _holiness—”_ John couldn’t miss the sarcasm in Andrew’s voice “—wishes to reprimand you.” Andrew jerked his chin and John followed the direction to see a bathroom to his left.

_Alive. For now._

Fifteen minutes later he almost wished he were dead. “Lenny,” he’d offered in greeting with arms wide open.

“You will call me Holy Father.” His hands were clasped behind his back, face serious, the same Lenny John remembered from the orphanage. And maybe a mass or two in New York years earlier.

“Of course,” he said, trying to course correct. “Holy Father. Thank you for the… hospitality.” He looked to his right and smiled. “Sister Mary. You look lovely.”

She smiled and said a soft, “Thank you, Johnny.”

“What am I going to do with you?” The Pope’s voice was loud, his anger evident.

“You could—”

“You don’t get to tell me what to do, _Johnny_. You’re in deep shit. You’re only here right now because Sister Mary and Andrew begged me to save you.

John let his head hang and stared at the floor. It was like being reprimanded by Father Timothy back at the orphanage all over again.

“Come,” the Pope said, motioning John forward. “Let us pray.” He clasped John’s hand in his own and fell silent. John went with it; he didn’t really have any other options.

It felt like hours before Lenny released his hand and gave him a tight smile. “You’ll be fine.”

John wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that.

*****

Sister Mary entered the Continental of Rome in step with Cardinal Voiello. “You didn’t have to follow me,” he muttered.

“I didn’t. I was waiting for you to arrive.”

“Hmmph.”

“I presume you know the manager?”

“Julius? Yes. He… owes me a favor.”

Sister Mary was smooth and no one else may have picked up on it, but Voiello definitely noticed the brief stutter in her step. Had he actually surprised her?

“A favor? Well… you might be useful after all, Cardinal.”

He huffed a laugh and stepped to the front desk. He simply nodded at the attendant. She nodded back and Voiello turned and motioned Sister Mary to a circle of high-backed chairs.

They had barely seated themselves when Julius appeared as if from thin air.

“Cardinal.” He tipped his head.

“Julius.” Voiello stood and nodded in response. “This is Sister Mary,” he motioned in her direction with a tilt of his head. She gave the slightest of nods.

“Please, sit,” Julius said as he took a seat of his own. “What brings you to the Continental today?”

“Oh Julius,” Voiello whispered then smiled. “I think you know exactly why I’m here.”

“Mmmm… Our excommunicado.”

“Si, signore.”

“Are you calling in your favor?”

“Do I need to? _His Holiness_ sent us.”

“Us.” Julius studied Sister Mary. “The say you’re the true Pope, _Suora_.”

Sister Mary demurred. “I am no more than personal assistant to the Holy Father. His Holiness, Pius the Thirteenth is the Pope.”

“Hm… A question then.”

“I don’t—”

Sister Mary cut off Voiello with a wave. “Yes?” She looked hard at Julius.

“Mr. Wick… does His Holiness offer him… _rifugio_?”

“His Holiness… wishes the best for all God’s children.” Voiello stared at her but she kept her eyes on Julius. She still saw him, though. “Do you have a question of your own, Cardinal?”

“No, Sister.” He fidgeted with a fold in his robes.

“Well,” started Julius. “I must see Mr. Wick before we come to any… agreement.”

Voiello nodded. “You understand, of course, that Mr. Wick is … unable at the moment … to, ah… leave the Vatican City.”

Julius smiled. “As luck would have it, I’m free for lunch tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble getting me an audience with His Holiness.”

“I don’t think—”

Now it was Voiello’s turn to cut off Sister Mary. “We’ll see you at half past noon. Taglietelle with mushrooms?”

“Fantastico.” Julius rose from his chair and gave a small bow to Sister Mary and a nod to Voiello. “Ciao.”

He vanished much as he’d arrived.

“His Holiness isn’t going to like this,” said Sister Mary. “You do not set his schedule.”

“He’ll take this appointment.”

*****

“This wasn’t part of my plan.” The pope paced back and forth behind his desk.

“I understand Len-- Your Holiness.” Sister Mary stared at the floor then looked up at him. “I told Cardinal Voiello as much.”

“You told him as much?” He snorted. “I’m sure you did.”

*****

“Holy Father,” Julius said as he bowed and kissed the Pope’s ring.

“Mr…?”

“Julius. Just Julius. It is a pleasure.”

“Mmm.” The Pope said, his face pulled into a forced smile. “I’m sure it is.” He reminded himself of the importance of this meeting.

Julius just nodded as he smiled and sat down at the table, clearly pleased to be in the Vatican with the Pope. His pleasure was too much. Ther was business to be addressed.

“So about Mr. Wick,” the Pope began.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this. I was fully taken in by your prompt about John Wick.


End file.
